Many dailies have failed to publish the news pertaining to the FDA crackdown against “U-B Fair cream”.
Even though the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has seized several packs of ‘U-B Fair’ cream for men manufactured by the Torque Pharmaceuticals for containing corticosteroid but it has failed to issue notices to the dailies that published the product’s advertisement on front page for several months. Is the FDA avoiding confrontation with media by not issuing notice to them? The dailies have earned crores by publishing the said advertisement. However, barring a few dailies many of them have not published the news pertaining to the FDA crackdown against “U-B Fair cream”.
Pratik Joshi a Kandivali resident said, “The FDA should ask those dailies that had published the “U-B Fair cream” for fairness advertisement to publish the news about the action taken by it against them on the front page.”
The association of Indian dermatologists has complained to the national drug regulator and an advertising industry watchdog that the Chandigarh-based Torque Pharmaceuticals has launched a product called U-B Fair containing a corticosteroid as a non-prescription skin cream for fairness. They have sought a regulatory crackdown and a ban on over-the-counter sales of similar products without prescriptions.
The cream, similar to others already in the market, is a well-known pharmaceutical formulation that combines three medications, including a steroid that dermatologists say should be sold only through prescriptions for specific skin disorders, and not for fairness.
“Given our cultural preference for fair skin, giving such products to consumers is like putting guns into the hands of children,” said Shyam Verma, a dermatologist.
“Often people buy fairness creams merely by watching advertisements aired on television. However, some of them could have adverse effects on their health” said Sudeep Singh a Borivali resident.
The launch of U-B Fair cream containing corticosteroid in June was met with sharp criticism from dermatologists, who even approached the Drug Controller General of India asking for a ban on the product and the ones with similar composition.
“It is a drug and not a cosmetic product. It is not supposed to be sold without a prescription in supermarkets and chemist stores,” said FDA commissioner Harshadeep Kamble. “The women’s cream promoted as a face wash contains salicylic acid that can cause difficulty in breathing, dryness and even peeling of skin. Supervision while using them is imperative,” he added.
U-B Fair cream manufactured by Torque Pharmaceuticals based in Chandigarh; the brand is being endorsed by Bollywood actor Pulkit Samrat of Fukrey fame.
Fairness creams with steroids are often sold illegally in some parlours under fancy names. These are essentially cold creams mixed with bleaching powder.
The creams show remarkable results initially but in a matter of 15 days, adverse effects like dryness, itchiness and broken blood vessels often start showing up. Some dermatologists are even warning pharmacists against stocking such drugs.
